"What I can say is that they're the hardest-working boys I've ever worked with," Cowell told the UK's Digital Spy today, June 2. "They still haven't changed."

"They're really respectful of their fans [and] they're a great British export," he continued. "They're a joy to work with."

Cowell, who is the group's boss and is credited as putting them together as a band on 'X Factor,' declined to discuss the advice he has given the boys ("It's a private matter I don't want to go into," he told the UK's Mirror) but was adamant that One Direction was still on the right path.

"I've worked with a lot of artists in the past who do lose the plot, who do lose respect for their fans," Cowell said. "They've never done that." He added: "I hope the fans stay loyal."

While Louis and Zayn themselves have yet to comment on the video, their 1D bandmate Liam Payne took to Twitter over the weekend to address the controversy in a series of tweets, writing:

We have a feeling that despite the slip-up of the leaked video, Directioners won't be going anywhere any time soon.

PopCrushers + Directioners, what do you think of Simon Cowell's response?